Briarlight slowly made her way to Jayfeather, her heart in her throat. "I know that we've been together for a moon now. But I feel like things have been... different. So I want things to be the same as they used to be. I mean, I guess I'm happy that we're together now, but still, I really liked our relationship when we were friends-"

Jayfeather stopped her with an angry grunt. "Briarlight, don't talk about our relationship! I kind of want it to be like it never happened," he hissed. Briarlight took a step back, surprised.

"What? I thought you loved me!" She  exclaimed, hurt. 

"I do, I just... maybe we should just be friends. Half Moon is waiting for me up there. I feel wrong loving you," he replied guiltily. "I think it should be over between us." 

The whole world seemed to tell her to rush to the lake and cry, so she gave him a curt nod and made her way to the lake as fast as she could. The trees above her as she shuffled her front legs seemed to sag, like they were mourning the loss of her and Jayfeather's relationship. She was so surprised by their breakup that she didn't have time to be sad.

No, she didn't want to be sad. She wanted Jayfeather to know that she didn't care, even though she really did. Half Moon? Over her? Half Moon was just a silly childhood crush! Why would he want Half Moon more than Briarlight? 

When she felt sand beneath her paws, she collapsed. Then she panted. She had been running for a while. But Half Moon? And why did it have to happen so quickly? Briarlight dragged herself a little further, to the point where her nose was getting lightly lapped by the waves. 

She sighed as she heard some cat padding towards her. Probably Jayfeather to tell her that she needed to go home. But when she looked, it was Lionblaze and Bumblestripe. 

"Hi, Briarlight. We heard what happened with you and Jayfeather." Briarlight widened her eyes in surprise. 

"H-how did you come to-are you-do you-are you angry at us?" She stammered. Wow, I think that was the most trouble I ever had with forming a sentence. 

"Don't worry, Briarlight," Bumblestripe mewed softly. "We won't tell anyone. Blossomfall knows, too. But she was a little busy, so she couldn't come and comfort you."

Briarlight felt a strong flash of anger. What? Was she on patrol or something? He said she knows! What's she busy with? And why isn't she here? She was never there for me! Today is no exception, I suppose. Why am I surprised? She shook the feeling of loathing away from her mind, but once she calmed down it clouded her thoughts once more. 

"Well? What do you have to say?" She snapped, turning her head back to the lapping waves. 

Lionblaze and Bumblestripe looked hurt. "We're here to tell you that Jayfeather does that a lot," Lionblaze mewed finally. "Don't be so sad. You're no different than anyone else he associates with." 

"THAT MAKES SO DIFFERENCE!" Briarlight roared. "He still hurt me! He can't go around tell other cats that they're the worst and then expect cats to pride him for being a good medicine cat! He's... he's a rude steaming pile of fox dung and I still really love him, that stupid little-ugh. Whatever. Leave. Now. Go. I don't want to look at you."

Lionblaze and Bumblestripe shrugged, whispering to themselves. "We tried," she heard from Bumblestripe. 

"Trying isn't enough! When Cinderheart dumped me I was the same," Lionblaze replied firmly. "We need her to be happy. I don't want her to feel the way I felt." 

Bumblestripe nodded slowly. "I guess you're right." 

Briarlight rolled her eyes. They would never understand. Well, maybe Lionblaze would. Okay, Bumblestripe, too. He got dumped by Dovewing. But... it wasn't like that. Jayfeather was different. She was used to Jayfeather doing things like that. But for some reason it hurt more. 

She shook the thought away. She was here to make herself happier, happier, happier, but it wasn't like that. She wasn't happier. She had always been pressured to be happy by her Clanmates. Briarlight always had to be the optimistic one when cats like Jayfeather could be grumpy. But never Briarlight. 

To be fair, she was pretty optimistic. It was who she was. Briarlight always liked looking at the bright side of things. She lowered her head to her paws again, sensing Lionblaze and Bumblestripe completely gone. 

She didn't even want to be grumpy. Sometimes it just frustrated Briarlight that when she was in a bad mood, everyone made a super big deal out of it. A bad day is nothing! But she could sense that this bad day was going to effect the rest of her life. Briarlight sighed. She loved Jayfeather, but if he would really choose Half Moon over her, did he really ever love her in the first place?